Newsletter No.009 1885 driving test, 350SL with Wankel engine.

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M.B Spares & Service

14 Lyell st Fyshwick ACT 2609 Ph 02 6239 1099

Newsletter Number 9

Hello again newsletter members! We are almost upto our tenth newsletter and things seem to be going quite well. Remember these newsletters are for you, so if you want a change or want to contribute to the newsletter please let me know. The article below on Car Clubs is in response to a specific request from one member. I am going to the Gold Coast on Wednesday night for the Honda Indy 300. Let's hope that one of the Mercedes powered cars wins.

Car Clubs.

Did you know that Australia has a quite a few very active Mercedes-Benz car clubs. In fact there are Mercedes Car Clubs all over the world. Most of them are members of the "Mercedes Classic Car Club International". This is a club that is run by Daimler-Chrysler to support Mercedes-Benz car clubs around the world. Here is a list of the Australian clubs and a few others.

The A.C.T club has their annual Concours on next weekend (15th Oct). The event is being run as part of "German Autofest" and is held on the lawns of Old Parliament House (Commonwealth Ave side). If you have the time and are in the area I would strongly recommend that you go and check out the fine cars on display.

Here is a picture of a super rare 280SE 3.5 cabriolet from 1970. This picture was taken at the Mercedes-Benz Classic centre in Fellbach an outer suburb of Stuttgart.

1885 driving test

In October 1885, Karl Benz undertook the first driving tests in his three-wheeled Motor Car, which was powered by a horizontal single-cylinder gasoline engine and developed 0.75 hp at 400 rpm. Once he had overcome a number of technical problems, he succeeded in "manufacturing a road-going car with elemental power" that dispensed with the services of a horse. Reich Patent No. 37435, issued by the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin on January 29, 1886, was something of a "birth certificate" for the world's first automobile.

350SL with a difference.

Have a look at this. In the 70's they made a hybrid 350SL with a Wankel engine. The car was made for Mr Wankel himself. The article is in German so you will need the Bablefish translator to read it. The engine was the same as the unit tested in the C111 car. It was some 60kgs lighter than the 3.5lt V8 and had heaps more power. I wonder what happened to the car?

Cars for sale.

Quite a bit of movement in the cars this week. We brought a nice old 200 compact (W115 1971) and sold it before even being able to list it on the net. It was a one owner car being imported into Australia by a diplomat back in the mid 70's. There were three logs books in the glove box all filled out! The 280SE W126 is sold and so is the 280SEL W126. Here is a list of what's left.

280E 1979 $6990.00

450SL 1979 $25990.00

380SEC 1983 $22500.00

600SEL 1992 $89900.00

230E 1991 $27990.00

We still haven't had a chance to update the page but I promise to do it this week. Have a look at them here. Meanwhile here is a photo of 319 van that we have for sale. It is a 1963 model and very rare here in Australia.

Joke of the week.

Was sent this the other day. Being a parent of two and having a staff member who is experiencing the joys of the first we found it amusing. Hope you do as well. (I made a few changes to make it more topical, they're in red)

HOW TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE READY TO HAVE KIDS:

MESS TESTSmear peanut butter on the leather seats and door trims of your concours standard Mercedes. Place a fish stick down the gap in the back seat and leave it there all summer.

TOY TESTObtain a 55 gallon box of Legos (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the garage. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bench or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake a child at night.

GROCERY STORE TESTBorrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop for a new car at the local MB dealer. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.

DRESSING TESTObtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.

FEEDING TESTObtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging.Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.

NIGHT TESTPrepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00p.m.begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00p.m. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00p.m.Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00a.m. Set alarm for 5:00a.m. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years.Look cheerful.

INGENUITY TESTTake an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Gull wing.

AUTOMOBILE TESTForget the SLK and buy an old 300TD station wagon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the Becker cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There, perfect.

PHYSICAL TEST (Women)Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10 of the beans. And try not to notice your closet full of clothes. You won't be wearing them for a while.

PHYSICAL TEST (Men)Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.

FINAL ASSIGNMENTFind a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance,toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.